My eyes flash between Remi's oak door and Daniel's apathetic stare. His view trained on where the carpet meets steel tracks, something cold and dark settling deep within him.

This isn't the first time he's reacted rashly. Of this, I'm certain.

But the pit I see growing in his eyes and tunneling deep into his stomach has to be the biggest.

"Dan-"

"Let's go," he snaps again, turning away from Meika and I. Daniel slips out onto the stairwell and away from us with ease.

No words come to mind or mouth when I nod my quiet goodbye.

Surely the boy thinks we're going to die. Perhaps that's the only reason he's okay with burning the bridge.

Alice and Calvin still await us downstairs, calmly as if no time had passed. Their hair shines under the moonlight, bright like starfire and sparks. It's the only semblance of interest I can gain since their otherwise beautiful appearances feel bland and tasteless in the dark.

Situationally, even the night sky is lackluster at best. Clouds roll in overhead and the lack of conversation is eerie.

Only the sound of gravel and Calvin educating us on the origins of New Delhi echo out against the buildings.

Everything feels timeless.

My brother is sitting on a throne in the dark of a tower, similar to so many lifetimes before. The feeling he longs for and looks to create at any given chance. At cost to me only this once.

So many things are bound to happen when we enter the large, looming fortress. My heart pounds with irregularity. Sometimes slow, aching and mechanical. Other times with speed and sharp adrenaline. There are hints of a bloodbath or even civil conversation. Murder is the end result.

Dining with Karma would only benefit the taste buds, but not the stomach.

His presence is like a dish cooked to perfection and a coma waiting to happen.

Daniel finds his way next to me, arm brushing up against my side. He reassures himself and pulls his posture up. We're only a few yards away from the entrance, the doors glistening like any other billionaire's empire.

"You know, don't you?" he whispers.

I don't need specifics for this question. All the information is scrawled through every action, every decision he makes.

"I have my suspicions."

Daniel swallows uncomfortably, pushing past the dread lodged in his throat. "I'm sorry, Ira."

I shake my head subtly, glancing behind the heads of Alice and Calvin. "You've nothing to apologize for."

He takes the phrase for what it's worth without saying another word. There isn't time anyway.

Alice opens the door and ushers us inside polished marble floors and past decorative fireplaces. They flicker in response to my presence, arching up and simmering down in a steady rhythm.

My boots tap against the floor in a soft, smooth manner. The clicks almost sound like business shoes or heels. Clean beyond even dust. So sterile it's almost unsettling to breathe.

"I'll go let him know you're here," Alice chimes, flashing another hearty smile and pacing off into one of the many hallways.

I watch Calvin turn his back to us and exit, standing outside the glass like a bodyguard.

Perhaps he's one of the children Tamsin spoke of.

My mind reels, the numb haze wearing off quickly. I haven't come face to face with Karma in hundreds of years. With any of my siblings for that matter. I can't even remember the last exchange we had or if it was a good one.

Daniel's body is rigged and stiff, fingers picking at one another behind his back. I can see different muscles flexing in his neck and arms, likely signs of him grinding his teeth and jaw. Some combination of disgust and fear concocting a more unique reaction in his stance.

The sound of gears clicking and locking tense muscles I didn't even know could feel this level of distress.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes, thinking of Lindon in that cold, wet cave of mossy hell. The hollow, broken look in his eyes, the dirt and grime around his cuffs and up his arms. Frigid ice seals my blood. So much rage and anger coursing through my entire body, the pit of my Mana swirling up and coiling through my veins.

Exhaling, my body relaxes and a low smirk pulls across my face.

A man in a suit steps into the room with wicked green eyes and a smile to match. Jet black hair is longer and slicked back, shaved shorter on the side, pieces flopping around a little as if being unkempt is a happy accident. Karma's body is just the same as it always was, taller and lean, with broad shoulders to fit his suit well.

Manicured. He looks absolutely manicured.

"Hello Sister," he nods, his voice warm and aloof all at once. Karma's eyes drape over me with curiosity before halting and veering to the left. "Son."

In this one word alone I swallow a taste of victory and some of the edge I needed to knock him off balance.

"You've made yourself a nice home here," I muse. My fingers tracing one of the many walls covered in framed art. Paintings Karma had kept out of the wreckage.

"And you're a long way from home," he replies, taking a seat on the arm of a lounge chair.

My eyes flare for a second but my gaze only half flickers to meet him. "Surely you don't mean that wretched temple."

Karma's eyes shift a little, softening. "Of course not, I meant Lindon, Iridian."

"Are you going to pretend you don't know what happened?"

He doesn't bother to answer me, turning to Daniel with interest and looking him over. Karma bounces off the furniture, taking a few steps and skirting Daniel like some fascinating object or wild prey. I can't tell the difference from the look in his eyes alone.

Daniel suppresses a snarl, coupling with a deep shiver of disgust he does well to mask. The energy between the two is static infused, a bomb fuse sizzling with sparks of shock and fire.

"I never expected to see you again like this..." Karma murmurs. "Perhaps years down the road with your tail between your legs or some amicable explosions but with your Aunt..."

Dan's nose twitches, dismayed by the comment. "What the hell is an amicable explosion?"

The God stiffens but laughs. "You're young, but when you become old and bored, apologies become far more... entertaining."

"Ereb-"

"I don't go by that name anymore, Daniel," he interrupts. "When I built this country, this large mass of unnurtured consciousness began to follow me and instead of punishing their tiny brains with old lores, I decided to regain some truth within our old language."

Without another though my mouth parts to whisper the name. "Kiel."

A strange sad smile pulls on his lips. "You remembered..."

"I forget nothing."

Words could not feel more true rolling off my tongue.

Every second of eternity wrapped itself inside my mind, each twist and turn intricately woven. Forever. I will remember forever. Until light and dark merge and existence ceases.

"Nothing?" Kiel asks.

"Not even the sensation of your aura on my skin the day I was captured."

Kiel's eyes narrow slightly, Daniel's gaze flashing between us in quick terror.

"That is an accusation if I've ever heard one."

I feel the bile of rage wetting my throat. "At first when I awoke in that decrepit cellar, I only knew the sound of a voice distorted by lapsed memory and lack of Mana. As time went on it became more familiar, soothing and cynical all at the same time. Yet once I heard it in this room, I couldn't mistake it..."

"It's been 97 years, Ira. You could've heard a great many things. I'm your brother."

"No," I growl, hatred weighing my lips down like gravity. "It's been 96 years, 11 months, 20 days and 9 hours, Kiel. That's 849,479 hours... That is 50,968,740 minutes... Every second I have spent wanting to find you and rip your heart out for what you've done..."

"Iridian, I-"

"Silence!" I snap. "I'm not done. I want to know why, I want to know what was so worthwhile to you that I had to lose everything I loved in my simple, insignificant life... That you nearly killed me for it! Have I ever in a million years done the same to you? Have I ever tortured you throughout an entire century - just to rule over some peasants in the middle of a shit-filled desert?"

Kiel stands and stares at me, nearly frozen in place.

The fireplace rages beside me, lashing out against my hands but skimming up them as if snakes danced at my will.

"There is a lot I cannot explain to you."

"Did you expect it would contain me forever? That you would never have to deal with the repercussions of chaining Life and Death apart? That I would simply forgive you?"

A singular thought passes through his eyes and the facade of care Kiel was holding falls away. "I expected one of you - particularly you - to escape first. And when this came to fruition, I believed you'd be so drained for Mana, so starved, but so full of hatred you would come looking for me without Lindon. I knew you would be weak enough that I could capture and detain you. Something I fully intended to execute until you came trampling through my sanctuary with my Son."

Flame boils to the surface, bursting out of my core and swirling through every vein. My skin glows, eyes piercing with silver and gold bolts. "Your Son has no part of this."

A tiny smirk rises in Kiel's eyes. "If you say so."

My celestial weapon manifests into my hand, white and black Mana smoking around the blade with markings specific for the occasion.

A particle of me wonders what he means. None of my where-with-all survives as the angry demolishes all of the barriers inside my mind. "This is your last chance to explain yourself."

"There is nothing to explain, Iridian. I did what must be done."

The coldest smile spreads over my features in the firelight. "Then so shall I."

Ankle twisting quick and pivoting to the side, I launch off the ground and aim for his throat.

An Update has arrived!

How are all of my Lovely Destroyers? Are you doing well in the Quarantine?

A little update on me, I've been working Overtime as an Essential worker at my store, helping how I can and making sure people have what they need in this insane time. I'm sorry it's meant that my writing is suffering but I should be back now with some updates and backlog even for you!

Did you enjoy meeting Karma? Are you ready for a Battle? 

I love you guys so much, so have a great day and let me know what you think below!